So this took me longer to write and upload than I had originally anticipated, but hey, at least it hasn't been half a year, right?! This chapter is mainly just a happy little filler before we jump back into the story. Thank you all for the reviews, I couldn't thank you guys enough but trust me, you're all amazing! If you guys could read the authors note at the end of the chapter, I've asked for your ideas on the rest of this story. So have a read, I really hope you enjoy this.
Jennifer D: Thank you very much for your lovely reviews, they really made me smile. You should create an account so I can reply to you personally and give my thanks. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. This one is for you!
I don't own Skins, sadly.
Chapter 28
As we all tried to squeeze around a six seater table, awkwardness began to ensue. I sat at the side next to Emily with Ryan and Katie opposite us. Jenna sat at the top end like the queen bee and Rob was at the other end with James squeezed between us. I noticed that the young teenager couldn't keep his eyes off of me, only adding to the awkwardness.
Jenna kept sending nervous smiles in my direction, I could sense that she was struggling to be nice and accept me as Emily's girlfriend…or whatever we were at the moment. Rob, however, seemed completely oblivious to the obvious tension as he happily talked away to me and Ryan about his gym and how he nearly lost it a few years ago. But he managed to pull it all together and now it was thriving better than ever. Emily shot an amused grin at me as I tried hard to think of something to reply with. I nudged her playfully under the table.
Ryan found it easier to talk to Rob than I did as he eagerly announced that he would like to check out the gym and sign up. He also asked if there were any jobs available, much to Rob's excited approval. I wasn't sure if Ryan was just kissing his ass – though I knew that he did like to work out and keep in shape – but it was nice to see him so at ease around this family, unlike myself.
"So Ryan, what did you do back in Cornwall?" Jenna probed, giving him an encouraging smile.
"I worked in a music store after I left college, which is actually where I met Naomi. Eventually we started playing in the band together and I moved into her place." Ryan shot a smirk in my direction and I beamed back, remembering when we first become friends.
"How did you learn to sing like that, Naomi? Were you taught when you were young?" Rob asked with interest,
I shook my head politely. "It was Ryan who actually taught me. He's a great singer; he grew up singing so he was able to help me train my voice. He also taught me how to play the guitar." I looked at my friend with pride and gratitude.
"Really babe?" Katie excitedly placed her hand on Ryan's arm, her eyes shining with adoration.
Ryan smiled shyly. "Yeah, but Naomi is a natural when it comes to musical talent so it wasn't hard to teach her. That's why I wanted her in the band, she fit the part and she has very powerful vocals."
This time it was my turn to smile shyly, I hated compliments but Ryan had always made sure that I knew I was good at my work. He always had the right words of encouragement to make me feel good about myself. He was like a big brother who had taken his little sister under his wing, that's how I viewed our friendship.
"I'd love to see you two perform together." Emily spoke up, grinning as she squeezed my leg.
"Oh my god, please will you?" Katie exclaimed with excitement.
I turned to glare at Emily for putting the idea into Katie's head, but the puppy dog eyes she was giving me made it impossible to say no. Ryan and I glanced at each other anxiously.
"I would certainly like to see that." Even Rob agreed and I nearly groaned in dismay. I loved performing but not in close encounters.
"I wanna fuck you when you sing." James blurted out whilst staring at my tits. Ryan and Katie burst out laughing and I gaped at the young boy in shock horror, not expecting something like that to come out of his mouth.
"James!" Jenna shrieked, sounding as though she was about to have a heart attack.
"What? I do, get over it." The youngest Fitch replied nonchalantly as though what he had just said wasn't completely inappropriate and something that none of us really wanted to hear. Emily reached behind the back of my chair and smacked him upside the head, causing him to cry out in surprised pain.
"That is no way to speak to a lady, kid. Naughty bar, now!" Rob scolded his son, glaring at him with a mixture of anger and amusement.
The blonde boy stamped his feet in protest as he shoved his chair back and stormed out of the room where there was a pull up bar set up in the doorway. He was only just about tall enough to reach it.
I coughed awkwardly and tried to hide my burning face behind my glass of wine. Emily rubbed my back sympathetically.
"I do apologise for his behaviour, Naomi. You know what teenage boys are like." Jenna sounded exasperated, either from the shock of her son or trying to find it within her to apologise to me for him. Either way, I nearly choked on the saliva in my mouth from the surprise that she was being this nice to me when over an hour ago she was prepared to throw me out of her house. Even Emily and Katie appeared shocked but poor Ryan looked between us with a confused frown, not understanding what was going on.
"Um…thanks, Mrs Fitch, its okay." I replied with genuine sincerity.
"Oh please, you can both call me Jenna."
This time I literally had to stop myself from choking on the sip of wine I had just taken, unlucky timing. Emily had her hand covering her mouth, hiding the grin she was wearing behind it.
"Thanks, Jenna." Ryan and I said simultaneously.
Once James returned to the table looking exhausted, Jenna got up to serve dinner. Apparently her cooking was just as awful as it used to be, though I had never actually experienced it until now. I could see the moment that she placed the dreadful looking mash of god knows what in front of us that the accusations were all true. However, we all dug in politely, trying hard not to cringe with every mouthful.
Once dinner was done, the twins helped clean up whilst me and Ryan practically ran outside for a fag to wash away the disgusting taste. I inhaled the nicotine gratefully after all of that awkwardness.
"That wasn't so bad." Ryan evaluated cheerfully.
I scoffed. "Easy for you to say, you didn't have to worry about whether or not Jenna was going to tear your head off."
"But she seems nice." He replied innocently and I couldn't help but laugh.
"She's hated me from the first moment she met me, she thinks that it's my fault that Emily's gay. This is the nicest she's actually ever been to me." I explained to my confused friend.
"I see, well she didn't seem so bad, maybe she's coming to terms with it."
I thought it over. She had been scarily nice to me at dinner, no condescending digs or glares. The woman had actually tried to talk to me like I was actually human rather than grunt at me like the shit on her shoe was worth more of her time than me. And she had actually smiled at me; maybe she had mellowed out a little.
"Yeah, maybe." I muttered in response.
"So what song shall we play?" Ryan asked, grinning at me playfully.
I groaned. "God, are you serious?"
"God might not be, but I certainly am." I shook my head laughing at his enthusiasm.
"Fine, we'll have to do one of our acoustic covers." I agreed finally.
We talked about what we'd play and decided that Ryan would play the guitar but we'd sing together. Once again I was nervous but I was glad to have my best friend by my side this time. At least this would be interesting.
After finishing our fags and deciding on a song, we stepped back inside. I smiled as I watched Emily wash up and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind; she leaned back into my embrace with a smile and kissed my cheek.
"I'm so glad you came." She whispered and I hummed in agreement.
"Me too. But you better hurry up or I'll sing without you." I giggled and playfully smacked her ass, dancing out of the room before I got hit by a spray of bubbles.
I entered the living room to find Rob watching some sports channel and Katie and Ryan on the sofa as Ryan adjusted the guitar to a different tuning. James was sat on the floor in front of them, playing with his phone whilst Jenna was sat on the sofa opposite, watching the happy couple fondly.
"Don't you need a tuner or something babe?" Katie asked as she watched Ryan pluck a string and listen to the sound before twisting the machine head and repeating the action.
"Nah, when you've been playing for as long as I have, you begin to learn what each tuning should sound like." He explained almost smugly, making me laugh and alerting everyone to my presence.
"Not always, he's just showing off." I said cheekily, sitting next to them as Katie giggled and Ryan smirked, he probably would have flipped me off if he wasn't in the company of his girlfriend's family's presence.
Emily entered the room not long after and he twins and their brother scoot over to the other sofa, leaving room for me and Ryan to get prepared and comfortable. Rob muted the TV and they all watched us eagerly.
We looked at each other with a grin and nodded, and then Ryan started to play.
Naomi: Have faith in me,
Cause there are things that I've seen I don't believe.
So cling to what you know and never let go.
You should know things aren't always what they seem.
I closed my eyes as I sang, bouncing my leg and shaking my head lightly as I lost myself in one of my favourite songs. Ryan then joined in.
Naomi and Ryan: I said I'd never let you go and I never did.
I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it.
If you didn't have this chance then I never did.
You'll always find me right there, again.
I gave Ryan a quick smile before his verse came up, I could see that he was nervous even with his eyes closed, but I knew he'd lose himself in it just like I did. Besides, he had nothing to be nervous about, he had an amazing voice.
Ryan: I'm going crazy,
Cause there are things in the streets I don't believe.
So we'll pretend it's alright and stay in for the night,
Oh what a world.
I'll keep you safe here with me.
I watched the way Katie's voice lit up the moment Ryan's voice spilled from his lips. I could see on all of their faces that they weren't expecting him to have such a soft and gentle but rough voice. Emily looked up at me with a wide smile, and neither of us could help but quietly giggle at the love struck look upon Katie's face. Ryan opened his eyes at the end of his verse and looked at me, the confidence now shining across his face as we happily grinned at each other.
Naomi and Ryan: I said I'd never let you go, and I never did.
I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it.
If you didn't have this chance then I never did.
You'll always find me right there, again.
I said I'd never let you go, and I never did.
I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it.
If you didn't have this chance then I never did.
You'll always find me right there, again.
I couldn't stop grinning as I sang my heart out, putting as much power into my voice as necessary. It's what I loved about singing and performing, no matter what mood I was in, it'd all fade away and I'd feel free. This time it didn't help that I had a beautiful girl smiling at me constantly and whooping along with her excited sister. I had to stop myself from laughing sometimes.
Naomi: They've got me on the outside, looking in.
But I can't see at all,
With the weight of the world on my shoulders,
They just wanna see me fall.
Naomi and Ryan: They've got me on the outside, looking in.
But I can't see at all,
With the weight of the world on my shoulders,
They just wanna see me fall.
Naomi: Have faith in me.
Naomi and Ryan: I said I'd never let you go, and I never did.
I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it.
If you didn't have this chance then I never did.
You'll always find me right there, again.
Once Ryan strummed the last note I fell apart laughing as Emily and Katie jumped up and started cheering, clapping and whooping. They were acting like two die hard fans, and the great mood I was in only added to the amusement. Rob, Jenna and James were clapping as well but not quite as enthusiastically as the twins.
Ryan placed the guitar down just as Katie bounded into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a quick, but full on kiss on the mouth. I couldn't help but laugh more, but it also made me a little sad that Emily and I weren't allowed to show the same kind of affection. Well, we could, but we'd only risk pissing Jenna off and since I seemed to be in her good books, I didn't want to push my luck. Instead, Emily perched beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist and smiled.
"Oh my god, you guys are so good!" Katie squealed into Ryan's neck. He chuckled and rubbed her back lovingly.
"That was lovely." Jenna said, a partially fake – partially sincere smile was plastered on her face.
"Lovely? That was fucking a!" James exclaimed excitedly, resulting in yet another scolding from the Fitch family as his mother visibly paled.
"Will you be doing anymore gigs soon?" Emily asked as she glanced between me and Ryan eagerly. My heart swelled at the excitement in her voice and the sparkle in her eyes that matched it, my girlfriend genuinely loved what we did and not just because she was trying to seem supportive. Knowing that she honestly liked the way we sound, it was one of the best feelings ever.
"I think we'll try to get something soon, but there are a few things we need to get sorted before we do, and I think it's time for us to start writing our own music." I explained happily, shooting Ryan a grin of which he returned. I now felt comfortable in myself and with this band; it was definitely time for us to start taking this even more seriously.
"I think we've got ourselves some groupies." Ryan joked, causing us all to burst out laughing as the twins shoved us both, playful smiles on their faces.
"We might need to get some security to ensure we don't get stalked." I teased, giggling as Emily glared at me with a grin, a glint in her eyes told me that I needed to shut up or she was going to jump me in front of everyone. Not that I'd complain, probably wouldn't be much appreciated by everyone else though.
The rest of the night went surprisingly well, filled with light conversation, jokes and plenty of laughter. Ryan even tried to show James a few chords on the guitar but the poor boy couldn't handle the pain of holding down the strings, and quickly ended up frustrated. I hastily placed the guitar back into its bag before it ended up broken, I wouldn't allow my baby to get hurt.
After a few kisses and cuddles as me and Ryan said goodbye to our girlfriend's, we were soon back in the van as we drove back to Effy's. I stared out of the window with a tired but happy smile on my face, and I couldn't help but recap the night, one that still seemed so god damn bizarre to me.
I spoke more to Rob than I did Jenna, who still seemed incredibly uneasy around me. I had no idea why she invited me to stay for dinner, either she was trying to come to terms with the fact that I was Emily's girlfriend, or she was simply trying to make a good impression in front of Ryan. Either way, I didn't mind, it meant I got to spend more time with Emily without having to hide away or act as though we were nothing more than friends. However, I could get used to their family dinners; it hadn't exactly been unpleasant, just a little awkward. It was nice though, I never thought I'd ever be in the same room as Jenna Fitch unless it was by accident, in which case I would have ended up running for my life.
As long as I knew that she was actually trying to accept me and Emily rather than acting like a fake bitch around Katie's new boyfriend to get brownie points then I was happy, and I could see that Emily was happy too, and that was all that mattered to me.
Right, guys, there's a couple of things I need to ask you all. Obviously the first question is, did you like the chapter? I really hope you did, and I would be extremely grateful for any reviews. They make me incredibly happy and smile like an ultimate goon, so please let me know your thoughts and opinions!
The second question: What would you guys like to see in the rest of Can You Keep a Secret? Originally I planned to end this story within the next two or three chapters, but then I had other ideas pop into my head. You guys know me, I write a lot of angst, and this is a very angsty story. So would you rather a quick but happy ending or a lot more horrible shit for our poor girl's to face?
Let me know your ideas! Chances are that one of you will give me a great idea and if you do, I will definitely give my thanks and appreciation. So go and click that review button!
Also, the song is by A Day to Remember - Have Faith in Me. There is absolutely no copyright here, I don't own anything about this song except for my thriving love for it. Cool?
Lots of love to you all. KairiM xx
